Modern Malfoy Family
by tempire
Summary: After the Malfoys' role in the Second Wizarding War, Scorpius sought to rebuild the family name. However, with Lucius in the background and the animosity of most of the school, Scorpius finds it hard to attract the most beautiful girl on campus, Rose Weasley, not to mention live up to the family name.
1. Scorpius Malfoy

**_Disclaimer: _**_I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters._

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><p><strong>Modern [Malfoy] Family<strong>

**Prologue**

"It matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be," Astoria whispered to Scorpius the night before his morning departure on the Hogwarts Express.

"Be a better man than I was, Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy. Know your name, know your worth, and be kind," Draco said, staring intently into the young child's eyes as he rolled Scorpius's collar.

Scorpius knew what his family had done.

He knew why he had never seen his grandfather Lucius Malfoy.

But he was not one of them.

At age 6, Draco began reading Muggle fairytales to Scorpius. Scorpius liked Robin Hood, who stole from the fortunate to give to the poor.

At age 8, Astoria took Scorpius along with her to Muggle shopping centres where he developed his own sense of Muggle fashion from the robes.

At age 10, Narcissa taught Scorpius how to bake sweets for every holiday occasion and told him that the way to a girl's heart was through sweets and flowers. He promptly gave his grandmother flowers and a (poorly) homemade cake for her birthday.

"Another Malfoy with great ambitions!" said the Sorting Hat. "Slytherin!"

"Did you know his father was the enemy of Harry Potter?" said the whispers in the Hall.

But he was not one of them.

No one seemed to accept that fact, except the children of those who had fought in the War. Albus Severus Potter was Scorpius's first friend at Hogwarts. And Rose Weasley? She never judged him. He never knew why; they had never engaged in deep conversation except the greetings that she gave him when speaking to Al.

She smiled at him, when they gave him glares.

She was kind. She gave him hope. She was beautiful and she was kind.

To be continued…

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><p><strong><em>AN: _**_If any of these scenes seem familiar, I was inspired by the hundreds of Scorpius head canons that I found on Tumblr! Please review and enjoy! _


	2. First Day

_**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters._

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><p><strong>01 | First Day<strong>

Scorpius tossed and turned in the middle of the night. The grandfather clock downstairs had ominously rung once, and the young Malfoy stirred from his restless fetus position. He rubbed his eyes and flipped over his pillow, laying his cheek on the cold silk, hoping this would lull him to sleep. Instead, it only made him restless.

He heard the sound of footsteps approaching his door. The soft footsteps signified that it was his mum, not his father. Not wanting to worry her, Scorpius turned towards the wall and closed his eyes, trying to breathe softly as if he was sleeping. The mattress shifted as his mother sat down beside him.

"Scorpius, dear. You can't fool me. I know you're awake," his mother's voice had a hint of teasing. He sighed and turned over, gazing into the amused face of his mother.

"How'd you know?" Scorpius Malfoy pouted, pushing himself up from the covers to sit up next to his mum. She usually came in when there were thunderstorms; it was as if she always knew when he wasn't awake.

She only smiled and ruffled his platinum blonde hair, which caused the eleven year old boy to roll his eyes. After a minute or so, Astoria swept her son into a motherly embrace. She sniffed his hair and realized that her little boy was finally growing up after all. She realized that her arms could only extend this far; gone were the days where she could shield her son from the harsh world and its judgment.

A muffled voice came from her arm, where her son's face was buried in her shoulder. "Mum, I'm worried for tomorrow."

"You shouldn't be, Scorpius," a part of Astoria inwardly sighed. She was afraid of this happening. But, she knew it was inevitable. She gently removed her embracing arm from her son and steadied him so that his soft grey eyes met her cornflower blue eyes.

"It matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be," Astoria whispered to her son. She leaned forward and kissed his forehead.

These words reverberated in Scorpius' mind as she tucked him into bed and stroked his hair until he fell asleep.

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><p>King's Cross Station was bustling with people of all ages. This fascinated Scorpius, and he couldn't help but stare at everything around him. This was a new experience, different from the composed world the Malfoy family belonged in.<p>

His luggage had been taken and placed onto the Hogwarts Express. All he had to do now was say goodbye to his mother and father. This was the moment he had been waiting for since he had been born. It was the beginning of his magical journey. Yet, he could still feel the tiny butterflies in the pit of his stomach. However, he was determined to show his parents that he was a fearless young man, so he simply cleared his throat and said that he would see them in December.

His mother, looking teary-eyed, swept him into a hug. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see his father exchanging a curt nod with a rather large group of people on the other side of the station. Untangling himself from his mother's embrace, Scorpius saw that it was the Potter and Weasley family.

It was them. They were everything he wasn't, and he knew that the entire world knew that fact. Yet, he maintained his perfect Malfoy composure and turned to face them, mimicking his father's stance. He saw the legendary Harry Potter return the nod, but the man next to him, a ginger-haired man, appeared to have sneered at his family and whispered to a young red-haired girl next to him.

Before he could stare any further, his father kneeled down and adjusted Scorpius' collar – his sign of showing affection for the boy. Draco stared intently into his son's eyes, "Be a better man than I was, Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy. Know your name, know your worth, and be kind."

Just like last night, when his mother's words reverberated in his mind – his father's words continued to echo in him, for the entire trip to Hogwarts.

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><p>Scorpius was sitting in a compartment in the middle of the train, away from all the upperclassmen, but close enough to the hyperactive ambiance of the first and second years. He aimed to be inconspicuous. He didn't want any more of the stares he received whenever he walked down Diagon Alley with his family. He had already elicited enough whispers as he walked down the aisle of the Hogwarts Express. His peers eyed him warily, as he shuffled into the first empty compartment he encountered.<p>

"Albus, James particularly said to NOT sit with him," he heard the chirpy voice of a young girl.

"Rose, since when do I actually listen to James?" came the exasperated voice of a boy about his age.

The compartment slid open and two figures, a boy and a girl entered. The boy had jet black hair and olive green eyes, a carbon copy of Harry Potter, whom Scorpius recognized from his chocolate frog cards. The girl next to him had long, straight ginger hair and bangs that nearly covered her cornflower blue eyes. She looked nervous as she clutched her copy of Hogwarts, A History.

"Hi! I'm Albus, and this is Rose." The girl next to Albus meekly raised her hand in greeting. "Do you mind if we sit here with you?"

Scorpius was taken aback by the unusual pair. He didn't expect anyone to want to sit in his compartment. He especially didn't expect the children of the Golden Trio to want to sit with him. Scorpius gestured towards the empty seats in front of him, "Not at all!"

Realizing he sounded way too excited, Scorpius cleared his throat and stood up, extending an arm. He lowered his voice to its regular volume, "I'm Scorpius, pleased to make your acquaintance."

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><p>Three hours had never passed so quickly to Scorpius. It was filled with talks about Quidditch, the occasional munching on sweets from the trolley, and the discussion of which house they wanted to be in. This was the first time Scorpius shared such a companionship with a boy his age. Albus was animated in whatever aspect they were talking about, whether it was sports, magic, or food. The only person who could quiet him down was, strangely, Rose.<p>

"So, what house do you want to be in?" Albus questioned Scorpius, his eyes sparkling as he popped another chocolate frog in his mouth.

Scorpius gave a half-interested shrug. "I'm probably going to get sorted into Slytherin. Family tradition," he said. Rose finally looked up from the battered book she had been reading.

"My family s'all in Gryffindor, but that doesn't mean that I don't want to be in a different house," she said quietly. As soon as she addressed Scorpius, the ginger's head peeped back into the thick book. Albus cast an amused glance at the shy girl.

"Ah, finally she said something! Don't worry about her, mate, she'll get around to talking to ya soon enough. Sometimes she can't even shut her bossy –" Albus was cut off as several Bertie Bott's Beans were tossed at his head.

"Hey!" Rose took cover behind her book as Albus tried to grab some of his jellybeans to throw back at her. "I told you she's not as innocent as she seems!"

Albus began to chuck beans at Rose's ginger head for five minutes, until she finally dropped the book onto her lap, looking quite flushed. She looked rather defiant as she addressed her cousin. "I'm going to change into my robes now. I don't want to get into trouble before I start school." She stood up and stalked off, her ginger mass of hair floating behind her.

Out of the corner of his eye, Scorpius saw Albus' hand reach into his pocket for another bean. His aim was perfect; the bean bonked Rose on the top of her head, causing the redhead to freeze up. Her neck was slowly turning a shade of pink, and her freckles appeared to be leaping in rage. She eyed the two of them, as if daring them to proclaim their guilt.

"I hope you lot get sorted into Slytherin!" With that, the compartment door slammed shut.

Scorpius turned to Albus and lifted up an eyebrow. "Are girls always like that?" Albus shrugged exasperatedly and shook his head.

"Don't get me started. I had to grow up in a house FULL of them."

To be continued...

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><p><em><strong>AN:** For those of you who do not like long multichaps with character development, this fic is probably not for you! I will try and update weekly, since I already have the storyline planned out. Review, please readers. Do it for Scorose._


	3. An Unwelcome Welcoming

_**Disclaimer: **I own none of the Harry Potter characters. _

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><p><strong>02 | An Unwelcome Welcoming<strong>

"Slytherin!" the Sorting Hat proclaimed. Scorpius inwardly groaned. Of course he was a Slytherin, of course. What made him think otherwise?

_My family s'all in Gryffindor, but that doesn't mean that I don't want to be in a different house. _He thought of Rose's voice on the train. Maybe she was wrong.

He lifted himself off the wooden stool and made way towards the Slytherin table. The claps and cheers of the Slytherin house were welcoming, yet Scorpius couldn't shake off the fact that every other house in the Great Hall warily eyed him as he made his way to the green and silver table. He trained his grey eyes on the table ahead, ignoring the stares that penetrated his body and sent shivers up his spine.

A few minutes later, Albus Potter ascended the steps and plopped himself on the stool. Scorpius held his breath. "Slytherin!"

The entire Slytherin table stood up and whooped loudly, as the legendary, never mind if he was second, son of Harry Potter was sorted into their house. Scorpius smiled and scooted over for his friend to sit beside him.

Now he had Albus. At least he had one friend… But, what about…

He shot a glance towards the mass of first years that were yet to be sorted. Amongst them, he saw the ginger girl, with her hands behind her back, gazing up at the sky of the Great Hall. She didn't seem as nervous as she was in the compartment. As if she knew he was staring, her eyes descended upon Scorpius and Albus. She smiled at him and gave him a thumbs-up.

Quickly, he turned back and focused on the new first year who was just sorted into his house. Scorpius didn't want to admit that was the first time someone looked so friendly to him.

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><p>The Slytherin Common Room was cozy, despite it being in the dungeons. However, it was the only part of the castle that was cozy to Scorpius. Everywhere else, even the Interhouse Common Room, seemed to cast an icy chill on his mood. It wasn't the castle, though, it was the people.<p>

The first week of classes, Scorpius promised to meet Al and a few other Slytherin friends in the Interhouse Common Room to work on their group project for Transfiguration. He was fifteen minutes early than their designated meeting time, since he had a class down the nearby corridor. Stepping inside the portal, he expected it to have a similar ambiance as the Slytherin Common Room. However, he was greeted with icy stares and hushed whispers as he took a seat on one of the couches surrounding the fireplace.

"Excuse me, you're in my seat," an annoyingly bossy boyish voice approached him from his left side. Scorpius tensed, as he grasped the parchment he was about to write on. His palms were sweaty. Nevertheless, he managed to cast an indifferent glance at the Gryffindor, who looked to be around twelve or thirteen. A couple of third year Gryffindors had begun to encircle the couch he was sitting on. The other people in the Common Room were either too afraid or too indifferent to care.

"I'm sorry, but I don't see your name written on it," he responded coolly, mimicking his father's tone of voice, returning his attention to the blank piece of parchment he was holding. His palms were shaking, and he gripped the sheet tighter.

"Well, at least his name isn't written all over the History of Magic books on the side that supports Voldemort!" a high-pitched girly voice retorted.

Scorpius didn't address whoever said that. _Be kind_, his father's voice said. _Know your worth and be kind. _

He elbowed his way through the group of Gryffindors and exited the portal, rushing to the nearest boys' room. No one was worth seeing him cry.

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><p>"Brilliantly done, Mr. Malfoy. Twenty points to Slytherin for brewing such a concoction!" Professor Wilmott, the Potions Master, congratulated Scorpius. It took all the effort in the world for him not to break out into a celebratory dance.<p>

Instead, he nodded his head and responded, "Thank you, sir."

As class was dismissed, he headed out into the hall, towards Al and the Slytherin clique. Before he could catch up to them, a rather large figure bombarded itself into his side. Scorpius was flung to the side of the corridor, into a group of fifth years.

A chorus of "Watch where you're going!" echoed behind him, as he rushed towards Al, who was heading back to where he was. However, his walking speed was hindered by a large pain he felt on the side of his shoulder.

"Scorpius, you all right, mate?" he heard Al yell.

Behind him, he heard a voice from the group of fifth years, "He deserves it, bloody Death Eater scum! Dint even apologize..."

He whirled around, hand reaching his wand, and his shoulder numb in pain. _It matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be, _he remembered his mother's words. Flashing a last angry glance at the upperclassmen, he walked in step with the Slytherin boys towards their next class.

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><p>He was in the library, looking for an older copy of the History of Magic book. He desperately wanted to read some sort of history book that wasn't biased against Voldemort's side. He wanted to read a history book that didn't have his family's name in it, for Merlin's sake.<p>

He had asked the librarian, and she had said it was two rows before the restricted side, giving him a knowing eye. Scorpius' hand trailed the spines of the book, looking for the name of the author. "P…Pseu…ARGH!" His palms ached, as he stretched them out in front of him to stop the impact of the sudden fall.

Scorpius heard giggles down the row next to him. He closed his eyes, willing for the ground to dig a hole and consume him. But suddenly, a feeling of rage began to dawn on him.

_Why are they treating him like this? What had he done? _

He angrily pulled himself up, walking towards the end of the row of books. _I'm not some little boy who can be bullied,_ he thought as he stomped around the corner, _I'm a MALFO – _

"Scorpius?" Ginger hair and fingers clutched around a book. She lowered the book, revealing a red and gold tie. "I heard a thump down there, are you okay?"

Scorpius ran his aching palms through his hair, unsure of what to say to her.

"I – I'm alright. Just…something dropped," he pivoted around on his heels and shuffled back to the section of books. Her footsteps hadn't retreated. Scorpius turned around and gave her a weak smile. "..Thanks…Rose."

To be continued...


	4. Last Call

**03 | Last Call**

A week after the library incident, Al and the rest of the Slytherin clique began to catch onto the cruel game that the rest of the school was playing against Scorpius. Although his situation did improve, it was only marginally. He was tired. He was tired of being the scapegoat of his family's actions. He was tired of the cold stares and whispers in the Great Hall after the Daily Prophet published a breaking news article about an on-the-loose Death Eater.

But Scorpius Malfoy didn't want your pity. It was the last thing he needed. After all, he was a Malfoy

It was a clear October day when he decided to take the matter into his own hands. He knew, if he told his father or mother, they would attempt to transfer him to Durmstrang, or worst, Beauxbatons.

The only person who would give him advice was the last person he ever wanted to write to. But desperate times called for desperate measures. In loopy cursive script, Scorpius labeled his parchment to Mister Lucius Malfoy.

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><p><em>Scorpius, <em>

_If you have written to me for an extra dosage of pity on your behalf, you are not going to receive it. My boy, you are Malfoy. Need I not spell it out any clearer? Has your father taught you nothing? Forgive me, I digress. _

_The world will always be at your fingertips, with the amount of wealth that your name possesses. But wealth is at times not enough. I know Draco has raised you to be an intelligent, charming young man; Narcissa has spoken highly of you, how you are brighter than your father when he was your age. Before I lose my train of thought and write away at how hopeful I am that you will certainly become better than Draco, I have decided to make a simple numbered list on how to improve your condition at Hogwarts (although I do believe Durmstrang is a better school). _

_1.__Be charming, although do not be excessive in it. Connections will get you anything you desire. _

_2.__Keep a tight circle of acquaintances of who will be valuable to you. (Although it is never too early to have followers)_

_3.__Gain the respect of others through what you do. Play Quidditch, it's a rather macho sport. Or join the dueling club, even better. _

_4.__Be mysterious. Whenever they insult you, smirk at them. Whenever they glare at you, smile at them with all your aristocratic glory. _

_I will arrange to come to the Malfoy Manor during Christmas break. _

_-L.M. _

In his four poster bed, Scorpius stared at his grandfather's letter, rereading the numbered list. He folded the letter and unfolded it again, scanning every word in an attempt to glean every detail of information Lucius had given him.

"Scorpius, there's Quidditch tryouts tomorrow. Are you still coming?" he heard Albus' voice from across the room.

Sighing, he folded the letter one last time and tucked the parchment underneath his pillow. If it meant relieving himself from this misery, he would live and breathe his grandfather's words.

"Of course I'm going. We're going to make the team, right?"

_To be continued..._

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><p><em><strong>AN:** Thank you for the 11 followers, guys! Double chapter update, coming up, although this one doesn't really count much as a chapter. Much Scor and Rose interaction in the next one though :)_ _Thank you for being patient._


	5. Soft Cookie

**04 | Soft Cookie**

Rose Weasley rubbed her eyes as she struggled to finish her History of Magic essay before the clock struck 1 AM. She pushed her hair behind her ears, picked up her fountain pen (courtesy of her mother), and began to furiously scribble on her last piece of parchment.

In truth, Rose sometimes questioned why she was the third year's top student. She always worked hard, read assignments ahead of time, and could always be seen with her nose in a book. Not to mention, she recently was appointed the (youngest) student activities editor of the Hogwarts Times, the five-year-old school newspaper. Nights like these, when she stayed up til 1 AM, made her question her entire life.

Being the only daughter of Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley had its perks, but it also has its major pitfalls. Expectations to exceed not only her parents, but also ordinary witches and wizards her age in everything she did, weighed upon her shoulders. Thus, the idea of giving up had always been an option with Rose Weasley. But, she never let herself go through with it. After all, she reminded herself, she was doing it for _her own good_, not for anyone else's.

That was why Rose was so strongly committed to the Hogwarts Times. It was one of the first steps she had ever taken in her life that was for herself. It wasn't pressured upon her by her family or society. No one she knew of had ever written for a school newspaper before (not that one existed during her parents' time), and it was a chance for her to forge her own path.

_Damn this week!_, she thought. It was the last hellish week of November, as teachers began to bombard students with countless essays and assignments before the holiday spirit kicked in. She groaned inwardly as she realized she also needed to write her Quidditch column for the weekly publication of the Hogwarts Times. Which meant…interviews.

Neglecting her almost completed essay, Rose reached down at the foot of her desk to rummage into her book bag. Her fingers found a small, leatherbound notebook as she flipped through it, looking for names she had collected earlier this week. If her memory was correct, she only had one more interview left for tomorrow…

Her pointing finger traced the list of names and stopped at the bottom of the list. Scrawled in neat, cursive writing was a familiar name: Scorpius Malfoy. Rose tucked her red strands of hair behind her ear and sighed loudly. She knew she had to talk to him eventually; he was best mates with Al. After all, she had just talked to him earlier that day in Potions – it should be an easy task. It was just that some things were hard to explain, and Scorpius Malfoy was on that list, with his perfectly styled blonde hair, cold smirk, and _brilliant _Quidditch skills…

Rose shook her head quickly and untangled her ginger hair out of the bun on the top of her head. She glanced at the clock which read 1:36. It was getting late. She shouldn't be thinking at this hour.

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><p>She decided to meet him on the Quidditch stands, on the Slytherin side to make him feel more at home. The November air was chilly and Rose wrapped her Gryffindor scarf tighter around her neck. She saw a slim male figure in the Quidditch pit, clad in a black parka and slacks. She looked down at her own attire, a fleece hoodie layered with the infamous Weasley Christmas sweater, and wished she wore something else.<p>

Scorpius appeared at the base of the steps, and raised a gloved hand to greet her. Rose stood up to acknowledge him with a small smile.

"Good morning, Scorpius," she managed to greet him.

"Hullo Rose. It's been awhile since we…hung out," he responded, tucking his hands into the pockets of his slacks.

"Do you mind walking around the pit…or sitting here?"

Scorpius had a funny half-smile on his face as he said, "Well, it's the lady's choice."

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><p>It was supposed to be an interview, but Rose couldn't help attempting to delve deeper into the personality of Scorpius. It was, after all, a journalists' responsibility to write the truth about a person, yet she couldn't help feeling guilty as she used the time to learn more about his personal life.<p>

It had been half an hour since they had been walking around the large stadium. "Youngest starting Chaser, Scorpius. Wow, never would've believed it on the first day I met you," Rose said, in an attempt to break the silence that had begun to form in their conversation.

"You know, I never would've imagined you nosily interviewing me about my life the first time I met you either," Scorpius responded, grinning widely at her. Rolling her eyes, she poked him with her fountain pen.

"This is an official Hogwarts Times interview, Malfoy. You're lucky I'm giving you my time of day!" Rose huffed, crossing her arms. Scorpius' grin had melted into his signature smirk, as the left corner of his mouth annoyingly stretched upwards to produce the expression.

"So, what would you like to know?" he asked her. When Rose glanced at him like he was crazy, he added, "I mean, in the past three years, I haven't really gotten to know you on a deeper level. I figured you would've thought…"

Scorpius' sentence trailed off, as he flushed when he saw her directly observing him. This was strange. The regular Scorpius never flushed, or showed any sign of emotion whatsoever.

"Well, why didn't you?"

"Why didn't I what?"

"Get to know me on a deeper level."

"Are you trying to ask me out here Weasley?" There was a loud smack as Rose thwacked her leatherbound notebook against Scorpius' side.

"Malfoy, that's utterly ridiculous! You're Al's best mate."

"…Well there you go. I never attempted to get to know you because you were Al's best cousin."

"Malfoy, I never took you for a shy person. For one, let's talk about those smirks you throw at unsuspecting girls. Pfft, you don't fool me," Rose scoffed, tossing her hair behind her back. "You're one of those people who never really open up to anyone because they're too afraid to and then make exc-"

"What did you just say, Weasley? I thought this was an interview." Scorpius' voice sounded horribly indignant at her opinion.

"Sorry, I just got a little carried away at how ridiculous your response was. I sort of expected a better reason to never closely befriend me, after Al left me to hang around with you and your Slytherin posse."

Silence passed between the two as Scorpius awkwardly began to tousle his fingers through his hair.

"I…I didn't know you felt that way, Rose."

"I always tried to be nice to you, hoping that, I dunno, you might reciprocate the action and invite me to hang out with you and Al." Rose sat down on the Hufflepuff stands, wrapping her scarf tighter around her body as the wind began to pick up.

"Do you…do you just want to have a talk?" Scorpius sat down beside her, his body tense, not knowing what to do in the situation.

"Are you deaf, Malfoy?"

Ignoring her sarcastic remark, Scorpius puffed out smoke from his lungs. "I hope you're not too frustrated at Al. It's not his fault. I really needed him back in first-year."

She was quiet, her blue eyes darting around the Quidditch field, holding the silence which begged him to continue.

"Al helped me through a lot these past three years, and I honestly can't thank him enough. To be honest with you, he's the only person who knows who I am behind this…mask."

Her tone seemed to soften as she spoke, her eyes now focused on her closed notebook. "We're having a pretty deep conversation right now, Scorpius. Are you sure I'm the person you want to tell this to?"

Scorpius closed his eyes and inhaled the crisp winter air. "If not you, then who else?"

"I don't know. A friend?" She began listing the names of his Slytherin friends off her fingertips, "How about Zabini, Goyle, Wilson…maybe even Lee?"

"They wouldn't understand."

"Then what makes you think I will?"

"Because you've had to live with this too. Family expectations, society's impression of you because of your last name. You know what I mean, Rose," he almost whispered the last part, as if he wasn't sure she knew his meaning.

"Yeah."

The two sat in a comfortable silence. The silence that fosters a companionship amidst a conversation as they each attempt to understand one another's dilemma.

"Thank you for that day in the library."

He heard a low chuckle to his right. "You remember that? I was just checking up on you, after a bunch of losers pulled a mean prank."

Scorpius faced her. "If you didn't tell Al, I might not have turned out this way, you know."

"Turned out what way? Obnoxiously prideful and sarcastically witty? Oh, spare me, if you were the fruit of my labor." She was scoffing, but she had a ghost of a smile on her lips.

"Exactly," he said, causing her to burst into laughter. "I would still be scared of talking to people, their opinion of me, and the truth about my family."

"But, you're not what everyone says you are, Scorpius. I thought you knew that."

"I did know that. But when I came here, everything was just too surrealistic. Everyone treated me like my father, like I had committed some crime."

"And they expected you to do the same…right?" She had flipped her hair over her right shoulder, cocking her head towards him. In that moment, Scorpius knew that she felt the same way. The expectations, the pressure, and the popularity of their family names had all landed them in the same boat.

"They did. So, I decided to give them what they asked for. I'm not your average Slytherin bad boy, pfft." Scorpius added a knowing smirk for extra emphasis.

Rose chuckled again. Her eyes wandered towards the sky as she thought of what to say next. "Hmm…so you're like…a soft cookie that's disguised as a hard cookie."

She laughed at Scorpius' appalled expression. "I'm not a cookie though!"

"It's an analogy, for Merlin's sake."

"But still! I'd prefer it if you called me the Severus Snape of our generation…"

"Nah, you're just a soft cookie."

_To be continued..._


	6. Shades of Grey

_**Disclaimer**: I own none of the characters._

_**A/N:** I apologize for the sudden fastforward in the last chapter(s). I realized that it's a lot easier to build on what had occurred between Scorpius and Rose then try to squeeze the juice out of every detail in their early years and lose the direction of the plot. Anyways, I'll leave a short breakdown on what occurred during 1st year, after Scorpius mailed his letter to Lucius: Scorpius slowly gains confidence and develops his own image as he spends the holidays with his grandfather, who trains him on dressing and acting as a "proper" Malfoy, hence the beginning of some narcissism and smirking throughout 3rd year. Also, Al and Rose began to part ways as Rose feels like she's no longer an important part of Albus' life, as Al joins Quidditch and Rose begins to write for the Hogwarts Times. However, she continues to talk to Scorpius and Al in classes, so they're friends, but not really best friends. _

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><p><strong>05 | Shades of Grey<strong>

A resounding crack disturbed the peacefulness of the hills surrounding the Malfoy Manor as a man with sleek, long platinum blonde hair stepped regally out of thin air. Lucius Malfoy had arrived. His mouth quirked into a disdainful sneer as he regarded the monumental residence that was once his. Since his departure from the Malfoy Manor after the war (as Narcissa had insisted), it remained the same way: the bushes were trimmed neatly and not a pebble was out of place.

However, the ambiance had changed. He could sense it in his bones. The house no longer contained an air of impending doom, despite its gothic-style architecture and fresh coats of dark paint. Yet, he expected Draco to maintain a regal and proud appearance, despite the "setbacks", as he liked to call it, that the family had experienced.

Out of the window of his study, Draco Malfoy peered downwards and saw the figure of his father heading towards the manor, followed by an old house elf. The wind blew Lucius' velvet black cloak behind him, creating an uncomfortably familiar resemblance to the Death Eater robes. Draco closed his eyes and attempted to not shudder from the memory.

Opening his grey eyes, he stared into a nearby mirror on his ebony desk. His eyes were hollow, skin pallid, and he cringed at the recent reappearance of his receding hairline. (He would have to ask Astoria to cast another one of her hair spells on him). Draco braced himself for the polite knock on his study's doors, and the announcement that his father had arrived. He closed his eyes once more and reopened them, staring into pools of hard silver. It made him anxious whenever he inspected his appearance, especially when he focused on his eyes. They had changed over the years – the mischievous grey charcoal of his boyhood had transitioned to cold hard silver, with a slight hint of icy blue. His eyes seemed to freeze his own gaze, not allowing him to pull away from his reflection, the reflection of decades of stress and disillusionment.

The knock on the door jerked Draco back to reality as the cloaked figure of his father entered.

"Father."

"Draco." The two Malfoy men stiffly acknowledged one another, as coldly as mere acquaintances.

"What brings you here before Mother?"

"Ah, yes. I wanted to discuss…a little about our plans for Christmas," the elder Malfoy coolly assured his son. He paced slowly around Draco's study, his signature cane clacking against the wooden floor. Lucius regarded Draco's small family portrait on his desk with a sneer and continued to observe the room.

"Christmas?" Draco managed to echo.

"I was recently invited to a gathering of…acquaintances in Germany for the holidays," Lucius' voice dropped dangerously low at the word acquaintances. "Perhaps…this would be an excellent opportunity for Scorpius to interact with those of his caliber."

Draco's silver eyes met his father's steely gaze. "May I ask _why_?"

Lucius' lip curled into a deeper sneer as he settled into a plush armchair in the study. "It will be good to introduce young Scorpius to the aristocratic world, Draco," the man drawled. He glanced at his cane disinterestedly and rested his gloved hand upon it. "I don't suppose you _really _envision him working for the dreadful Shacklebolt administration in the Ministry after he graduates from this_ detestable _school?"

In a low voice, Draco spoke slowly yet clearly, "I will have my son do as he chooses. We will talk on this matter when he returns for Christmas."

In the same tone, Lucius uttered three words, "You're a fool."

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><p>The Christmas virus was spread around Hogwarts as December 1st rolled around the corner. Christmas trees were being pulled up in the Great Hall, as the students in the Charms Club were busy decorating them. Boughs of holly and poinsettias were being placed in every imaginable corner. Amidst the Christmas chaos, Rose Weasley and the rest of her family heaved a giant sigh of relief as the pre-holiday exams were over.<p>

"Do you _mind _passing the pudding?" the loud voice of Fred Weasley hovered over Rose's breakfast.

She rolled her eyes and reached her left hand to grab some bread, ignoring Fred's demand. "Can't you lot just _ever_ get along?" she heard the annoyed tone of her cousin and Head Girl, Dominique Weasley, who was undoubtedly under pressure considering the number of exams she had to take her final year at Hogwarts.

Snatching the last piece of bread from the bread basket, Rose excused herself from the Gryffindor table (which was overpopulated with the Potter-Weasley clan) and was heading towards the lake to catch some peace and quiet when – "Oof!" Rose groaned as something fell on her head.

She looked up at the Great Hall and saw that the Hogwarts Owlery was delivering the Hogwarts Times this morning. How could she forget!

Rose quickly picked up the rolled-up newspaper and flipped to her section, rereading her writing to see if there were any typos. She mentally kicked herself in the face for forgetting that they delivered on Saturday. How could she expect to be Editor-in-Chief when she didn't even remember when they published and delivered?

Her mind racing, Rose continued to walk out of the Great Hall while scanning her articles. _Check, check,_ she thought, satisfied with every check that she had not made a single typo or grammatical error. Rounding the corner, Rose didn't even bother to look up, running straight into the shoulder of her very own cousin, Albus.

"Ouch, Rose!" Al was rubbing his shoulder vigorously, as if Rose had run him over with a hippo instead of accidentally head butting him. His tousled black bed hair showed that he had just probably gotten up out of his dorm about ten minutes ago.

"Knock it off, you wuss. I feel like my head is going to crack open!" Rose rubbed her ginger head and glared at her cousin, who she realized, was being followed by his familiar Slytherin clique. "Oh, good morning!" she chirped to the group of groggily looking boys.

At that moment, several owls swooped down next to them and began dropping the issues of the Hogwarts Times. _Cue exit, _Rose thought to herself as she turned away from her cousin and his friends.

"See you later Al!" she waved and was about to pop away when Albus suddenly grabbed her arm.

"Don't '_See you later' _me!" she heard him huff as she stared into his olive eyes. This was strange. Albus usually never caused a scene. His Slytherin mates had walked ahead for breakfast, and she was left only with Al and…him.

"Erm, Al. Are you quite alright?" she raised a worried eyebrow.

"Rose, why didn't you tell me you felt that way?"

"Felt what way? Albus Severus Potter, you are absolutely _mental_ this morning!" Their raised voices caused several students to glance their way. Scorpius, however, leaned lazily against a pillar and seemed to be inspecting his cuticles as the two cousins continued to converse.

"Why did you tell _him_ and not me?" Al had extended his hand back to Scorpius, who seemed awkwardly put on the spotlight, raised his brows and shrugged.

"Al, you are making _no sense_ whatsoever at 9 AM on a Saturday morning!"

"You know exactly what I mean! I never meant to leave you out Rose…I thought you were fine with being alone, researching who knows what at the library.. And then second year came around and you were always with those newspaper kids an-" Rose cut Albus off with a giant bear hug, as she finally realized the context of their conversation. She could feel tears welling up into her eyes but she forced them down as she hugged her cousin warmly. It had been too long.

"Well…if I may cut this touching moment short, but Weasley, what happened to my interview?" came the voice from beside the pillar.

"Scorp, mate, does everything always have to be about you?" Rose heard Albus give an annoyed sigh as she pulled away from his embrace. She grabbed Scorpius' copy of the Hogwarts Times and flipped through it manically to the student activities section.

"It's in here…It's supposed to be!" Rose said frantically as she scanned the columns. After a good minute of searching, she returned the paper dejectedly to Scorpius.

"I really am sorry… I don't know what's gotten into me. I was so sure I published your interview-"

"Hey, don't worry about it Rose, he gets way too much attention anyways." Albus cut her off and put his arm around her shoulders, leading her back towards the Great Hall.

She turned around and saw Scorpius still at the pillar, reading through the feature stories of the Times. Something stirred inside of Rose and she called out, "Scorpius, would you like another interview? I can try to publish something else next week…"

He glanced up at her, slightly smirking. "I'm already infamous for my good looks. I'm not sure you'd want to give me the extra attention and fight the crowds to get my picture."

"I'm serious! How about the lake at 3, or else I can never forgive myself!" Scorpius looked like he was about to decline, but when Rose's magical timekeeper appeared out of nowhere and began to schedule their meeting, he couldn't bring himself to do so.

But instead, he agreed and followed the two cousins into the dining hall. It had honestly been forever since Rose and Al sat together near meals. They usually talked only during the classes they had together, and mostly spent time together at the Burrow. It was like placing two chatterboxes next to each other and seeing which one can out speak the other.

In a desperate attempt to break apart a debate about whether homemade cranberry sauce was better than Hogwarts' cranberry sauce, one of Al's Slytherin mates, Chester Wilson, cut in. "Say, Rose, what do I need to do to get interviewed by a pretty girl like you, as Scorpius here keeps on bluffing about?"

Rose heard Al choke on his breakfast when Wilson called her pretty. She knew it was a friendly joke, so she went along with it. "Well, you have to be a young Slytherin chaser who always has a smirk tattooed on his face. Not to mention, you also have to walk like a preening peacock to all your classes."

Her last sentence caused a bunch of _Ooos_ among the group of boys and she earned a wicked grin from Al. Scorpius' ears, however, had turned a slight shade of pink. He soon recovered and took a swig of orange juice from his goblet.

His grey blue eyes stared at her, and he said, "You're funny, Weasley."

_To be continued..._

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><p><em>Thank you for those who are reviewing and following! I'm up to 13 followers, and that's a great accomplishment (lame I know!). Please continue to give me feedback - it inspires me to write more~ <em>


	7. It's Complicated

**_Disclaimer: _**_I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters._

**_A/N: _**_This chapter directly occurs after the breakfast scene, in Scorpius' POV, just so y'all don't get too confused._

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><p><strong>06 | It's Complicated<strong>

Scorpius approached Rose by the lake at three, after the boys had eaten their breakfast and lounged around the Common Room, playing games of Exploding Snap. December had taken its toll, but today was almost reminiscent of an early spring day, since the grounds were almost void of snow and the sun shone from above.

Hearing his footsteps, the ginger head resting beside a large oak tree perked up and her face lit into a grin. Scorpius' mouth twitched into a slight smile; he couldn't bring himself to not reciprocate the friendly girl's actions.

"I didn't expect you to come," she said, as he took a seat beside her on the damp mossy ground.

"Why didn't you?" Scorpius glanced at Rose, who was resting her elbow on a large stack of books.

She ignored his question and instead murmured, "I just wanted to say thank you." The black lake was reflected into her bright blue eyes, darkening them, but Scorpius could still see the gratefulness in her expression. She awkwardly coughed a few extra words about thanking him for mending her relationship with Al. Then, Rose used her palms to push herself off the mossy ground, reaching down to grab her stack of books and excusing herself. Hurriedly, Scorpius stood up and offered to help her.

"I'm just delivering these back to the library, don't worry," she reassured him as she took a few wobbly steps. This made Scorpius wonder how she even got to this spot with such a large number of books.

He reached forward to help her, just as the string of her hiking boots caught on a twig, causing her to lose her balance. Rose landed with a small shriek, as the books flew from her grasp and landed in a wide semi-circle around her. Unable to do anything, Scorpius simply stared openmouthed at the girl below him, who was ruefully rubbing her bum.

Snapping back into reality, he began to collect the books around her. His fingers grabbed the spine of an unfamiliar novel, which he realized as he flipped up to examine, that was a Muggle book. "One Thousand and One Nights?" Scorpius asked, glancing at the spine.

Rose blushed as she began to collect the books on the other sides, which were out of Scorpius' reach. "Yes, I picked it up at a Muggle shop this summer, actually."

"I didn't know you read Muggle literature," he commented, as arranged the books according to thickness.

"Well, my mother is a Muggle! After all, what do you know about Muggle literature?" Her feisty side was back, the tone of voice she usually carried around Hogwarts which led many to believe she was bossy.

Scorpius purposefully twitched his mouth into a small smirk, opening the thick Muggle novel and cocked his head to one side. "I bet, more than you do."

Her reaction was quite hilarious to Scorpius, who bit back a chuckle. Rose's thin mouth dropped open and her brows furrowed together. He could see her freckles almost leaping out of her skin in an irritated expression towards him. She seemed at a loss for words, and he found this oddly endearing, as she tried to formulate a counterclaim to his argument that didn't involve offending his family.

"But…you…Malf-I bet you absolutely do _not_!" She crossed her arms over her chest and sat down in a huff.

"Alright, then prove it," he drawled in the tone that he knew would set her on edge.

As if preparing herself for the challenge, Rose flipped her mane of ginger hair behind her back and pushed some loose strands behind her ears. "Fine. I name a novel and if you don't know it, you obviously lost."

"That's not fair, Weasley!" Scorpius feigned a horrified look at Rose. "Shouldn't I get a chance to question you too?"

"Fine," she responded crisply. She turned her defiant eyes towards him as she spoke, "I'm going to start off easy…Cinderella."

"That's like asking if I know Babbity Rabbity and the Cackling Stump!"

"Prove that you know it, Malfoy," she said mischievously, and Scorpius couldn't help notice how her eyes lit up whenever she challenged him.

"Girl has mean stepsisters, girl goes to ball, girl loses shoe, girl finds prince. The end. Satisfied?"

She scowled in annoyance, as if she regretted giving him such an easy question. "My turn then. Robin Hood?"

To his surprise, Rose's scowl transformed into a grin. "I love Robin Hood! He's the legendary hero who steals from the rich and gives to the poor!"

"You do?" Scorpius found himself grinning ear to ear at her response. "My father read fairytales to me growing up, and Robin Hood became one of my favorites."

"No way? Mum had to read these to me secretly or give me books. Dad thought it was a load of rubbish!"

"Oh, Weasley. Sometimes we Malfoys are different than how the world perceives us."

She pursed her lips and said, "Why do you call me Weasley?"

"Because it sets you on edge."

"You're such a little prat, you know. Besides your knowledge on Muggle literature," she added. "So, what else did your father read to you?"

"He actually read a lot up until I was about six and began reading by myself," Scorpius told her, although he was unsure why he was sharing a part of his childhood with this girl.

"Wow," she murmured. "Tell me more about your father," Rose said, pondering on his answer.

Scorpius suddenly felt obligated to respond, drawn by her soft tone of voice. But, he willed himself to stop, and he curtly asked, "Why do you want to know?"

His brusque manner caused Rose to flush slightly, embarrassed by her question. "It's just…sometimes I don't hear very nice things about your father from _my_ father."

He turned to stare at her, causing her neck and cheeks to turn a darker shade of pink.

Then, Scorpius silently nodded to himself, as if giving him his own permission to speak. He allowed his voice to fill the silence, describing his father in details that he never knew he noticed before.

He spoke of the time when Draco had taught him how to fly a broom, how his father had given a slight snigger at Scorpius' own wonder of being lifted off the ground. He recalled how his father always gave the final decision, after acknowledging his wife's nod. But, he also triggered memories of his father's cold expression to those outside his family: his stiff posture, curt words, and almost threatening glare.

Rose was a courteous listener; she would nod at intervals while he spoke to indicate her understanding, and sometimes would tilt her head to the side, signaling for him to continue.

"My father…he tries the best he can for the family. Sometimes, though, he can be very distant, but on good days he attempts to be mildly cheerful," Scorpius admitted.

The two stared at the lake as the clouds shifted into a purple-pink hue. Rose shyly spoke up, "I think he sounds like a pleasant man to be around."

"Most of the time," Scorpius answered roughly.

"At least he wasn't wrong about others," she said quietly. "My father was wrong, you know. He was wrong about your father and you, which was part of the reason why I spited how you and Al always hung around each other."

Scorpius turned, confused at Rose's statement. "But you-"

She cut him off apologetically, "I spited your relationship. I thought, if someone could even grow to be best friends with Scorpius Malfoy, the boy whose family Dad always spoke so poorly about, why didn't I have a best friend?"

She gave a resigned sigh, as she looked up at the sky. "It's complicated, Scorpius."

He nodded and their eyes locked, "Yeah, it's complicated."

After a minute of silence or two, Rose cleared her throat and stood up again, murmuring something about how it was almost dinnertime. She leaned down and attempted to carry half the stack of books lying on the ground.

"Erm, if it's not too much to ask, do you mind helping me carry these to the library? I don't want to be late for dinner," she meekly said, as her stomach made a low rumbling sound.

"I didn't know you had a cat in your stomach, Weasley," Scorpius teased. For some reason, he couldn't bring himself to call her Rose; it would be too much, exposing too much of what he could not comprehend, when her name rolled off his tongue. So instead, he hid it behind her last name, softly accenting the first syllable and letting the second slide off into the air.

Rose cast her eyes at him, as if to say _"Really, now?" _and hobbled on ahead. Turning back, she yelled into the wind, "We forgot to continue our game! My turn!"

And so, the lively battle between them began where it left off.

"Thumbelina!"

"Pinocchio!"

"Alice in Wonderland!"

They continued to challenge each other with Muggle books until they reached the castle. Rose kept shaking her head, and Scorpius smirked at her attempt to rack her brains and think of every Muggle story her mum had ever told her.

"Romeo and Juliet," Rose said with a proud smile, glad that she had strayed away from Muggle fairytales.

For a minute, her smile revealed that she thought she had trumped her opponent, but Scorpius only scowled and said, "I hate that play."

"Why on earth do you hate it? You obviously have no heart!" Rose pestered him as they approached the library's doors.

"The characters are ridiculously stupid, considering they're our age."

Rose huffed and responded, "Well, the only girl you're going to date around here is Juliet!"

"What's in a name? That which we call Rose," recited Scorpius, as he held the library's door open for her.

"Don't spout soppy crap at me, Malfoy!" Rose seemed more annoyed than usual, and Scorpius heard another sound emanating from her stomach. She began to place her books back into the alphabetized carts, quite loudly, to cover up the noises her stomach was producing.

"Dinner, Weasley?" Scorpius mockingly bowed as he held the door open for her.

He could barely catch his breath by the time they had made it to the Great Hall, since Rose had bounded so quickly by the mention of dinner. Before she could disappear towards the Gryffindor side of the Hall, Scorpius put a hand on her shoulder.

She turned back to regard the blonde boy, who was breathing heavily with one hand on his knee and the other on her shoulder. "Yes…?"

"I believe Al and I wouldn't mind if you sat with us," he saw the puzzled expression on her face being replaced with a genuine smile.

"So, friends, Weasley?"

"Not if you call me that all the time."

"Fine, best friends, then."

Scorpius led a bewildered Rose Weasley to the Slytherin table and plopped her down next to an equally surprised Al, who was already hogging most of the food in the vicinity onto his plate. Al regarded his cousin by offering her a slice of bread and butter, which she gladly took and began to stuff inside her mouth.

Scorpius couldn't help but wince at his friends' atrocious manners.

"Weasley, we're going to show you the real meaning of fun here," Scorpius declared when the rest of his Slytherin clique sat down on the table. They all seemed mildly surprised that Rose was here, but considering she was Al's cousin, they thought nothing of it.

During dinner, Scorpius had realized he had spoken too soon about teaching Rose Weasley the meaning of fun. Rose got along with most of the other Slytherins, which wasn't a surprise since the entire school knew of her and her insistent questions for the Hogwarts Times. But, as a friend, Rose carried a completely different demeanor: one that was wild and free, and, he suspected, was reserved for parties at the Burrow. Her smart comments earned chuckles from sections of the table that was seated near the trio. She also wasn't afraid to laugh, and loudly too, for that matter. Her peals of laughter made Scorpius regret, every time he laughed along with her and Al, the two years that passed between them where he had offered no sign of friendship when she fully offered him her kindness.

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><p>On their way back to the Common Room, Al stopped Scorpius before they both entered the portal. He eyed Scorpius warily and said, "So what was that all about?"<p>

"About what?"

"You know what I mean, Scorpius!"

Scorpius sighed and ran his hands through his gelled back hair, causing a few strands to escape his hairdo. "Rose is right. You don't really make sense sometimes, mate."

"I'm talking about the Rose situation here. She's my cousin, y'know that? I can't have you flirting with her in plain sig-"

"Wait, what?" Scorpius nearly shrieked and cut off Albus' tirade. "I was inviting her to sit with us at dinner and hang out, as friends should, because you're obviously too busy to care about her!"

"Since when did you care about me and Rose?"

"Since I realized she's actually a really great person!" Scorpius retorted back, angry at how inconsiderate his best friend had become.

"Do you fancy her?"

The question stopped Scorpius' brain on its tracks. His mind rewinded to their talks on the lake and on the Quidditch stands. Then, it reverted to the greetings she gave him in the hallway and friendly small talk in the Interhouse Common Room over the past three years. That couldn't be liking someone, right? He had only begun to get to know her. Yet, he always managed to tell her everything that was on his mind.

"Do I?" he hollowly asked Albus. This was hurting his brain, for Merlin's sake.

"Mate, don't ask me! Ask yourself!" Al leaned against the walls of the castle, waiting for Scorpius' response. When it didn't come, Al sighed and propped himself up with his elbow.

"Listen, mate, you do. But let me tell you something, you should do your best _not _to like her."

"Why?" Scorpius asked, thoroughly confused at Al's advice. Al had been, since the beginning of this year, giving love advice to most of the third-year Slytherin boys in their dorm. The boys had religiously followed Al's advice since he was, after all, the son of Harry Potter. But, Scorpius didn't buy the boy's "love guru" act one bit.

"Because she's my cousin," Al wrinkled his nose in distaste. "I mean, she's pretty cute, but I can't imagine you snogging her. That just makes me want to retch."

Scorpius sighed. "I think you're wrong, mate. Maybe I just want to be her friend."

"And you know what they all say after the _friendship _stage," Al winked as he lifted his hands to quote the word "friendship".

"She's a lot like me, Al."

"Pfft, and you know who's a lot like her? Me. I think you should go for that Lewis girl in our Potions class – you'll be off to a less threatening first relationship, considering how protective my family is of Rose," his best friend continued to babble on.

"It's complicated, Al," Scorpius finally managed to say, after he unlocked the Slytherin portal.

He heard Al's sarcastic "Rightey-o" behind him as he stepped inside and thought to himself: _It really is complicated. _

_To be continued…_

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><p><strong><em>AN: _**_Ah, the wonderful tween feeling of being in "like"! Please review, follow, or favorite! Do it for ScoRose, and thank you to all you new friends who have recently joined the magical world of the Modern Malfoys! _

_ NoneOfYourBusiness101 – Thanks for catching my lame error. It was late at night and I was supposed to have Lucius say, "You're a fool," but I ended up cutting apart that contraction. Props to you! (P.S. I facepalmed myself so hard when I read your review). _


	8. Unexpected Visit

_**Disclaimer:** I own none of the Harry Potter characters._

**_A/N:_**_ A bit of a reunion with little ol' Lucius here. I'm trying on keeping up with weekly updates, although I have the storyline all plotted out in my head. Long, detailed chapters with a slow author, oops that's review! _

**07 | Unexpected Visit**

As soon as his right foot hit the platform of Kings' Cross Station, Scorpius Malfoy sensed a feeling of dread towards his winter holidays, which was odd because, of course, it was the winter holidays. Two weeks of no homework or any human interaction (lovely), with the exception of the letters he was bound to get from Al and the other Slytherin boys. Yet, he couldn't help but feel that this year's holiday would be slightly different, as his eyes locked with his fathers'.

"Scorpius," his father nodded towards him.

"Father."

With that exchange, the two Malfoys headed outside the train station to a secluded location for their Apparation back home. Scorpius grabbed hold of Draco's arm, mentally preparing himself for the suffocation that came with Apparating long distances. He had closed his eyes and drawn a deep breath, when he realized that his father had not yet cast the spell. Slowly, he peered open his eyes and turned his attention to his father, who appeared to be in deep thought. Draco's eyes were of a softer silver when he was left with his thoughts; there was no defiant hard edge to his grey eyes that was usually apparent.

Scorpius coughed lightly. "Father? Are we going?"

Draco turned his head towards his son, slowly. "Be careful of your grandfather, Scorpius."

Scorpius' intake of breath was halted by the sudden distortion of his reality. He felt his body become suppressed by an incredible force, and the air in his lungs were being sucked out of him like a deflated balloon. For what seemed like an eternity of discomfort, he landed solidly on his feet on the front steps of the Malfoy Manor.

Glancing up at the manor's tall window, Scorpius caught the familiar figure of a man in a long black coat, the long platinum hair revealing his identity. He felt his breathing shift irregularly; Lucius had always given him an odd discomfort, his sly demeanor completely opposite from Draco's icy yet blatant expressions.

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><p>Scorpius and Draco were greeted in the parlor by none other than Lucius. The eldest Malfoy had made himself at home, reclining luxuriously on the new leather seats.<p>

"Father, I am a busy man." Scorpius heard Draco's sharp voice cut the silence a minute after the men had taken their seats.

"Ah Draco, always in such a rush," Lucius drawled, to the annoyance of his son. His legs were crossed, and his right ringed fingers played with the serpentine figurehead on his cane. Scorpius' grandfather had always given him the impression of being a man who completely contrasted his father, despite their striking similarities. Draco was a man who wasted no words, although sometimes cold and distant, Scorpius knew he had good intentions. Lucius, however, was smooth with his words and very sly, like a bobcat waiting to pounce on its prey.

"Although this should come to no surprise to you, we had discussed this earlier in the week, have we not?" his grandfather continued. Scorpius sneaked a glance at Draco, whose mouth had twitched into a thin line.

"Ah, yes. Very well, tell him," his father responded curtly. Draco's voice seemed strained, and Scorpius caught a hint of anxiety behind his words.

Lucius' mouth twitched into the familiar Malfoy smirk. "Scorpius, my boy. I have come to extend an invitation for you to accompany me to Germany next week…for some gatherings."

_Gatherings? _ Scorpius thought. However, his well-mannered subconscious had trained him to not voice any inquiries. Instead, he drew his face back into its dispassionate expression as Lucius continued.

"It would be most _beneficial_ for you, as the heir to the Malfoy name, to enlighten yourself with the social circles of the wizarding community that is…rather unbiased towards our predicament." His grandfather raised a well-groomed eyebrow at him, as if to dare the boy to challenge his offer.

"I appreciate your offer Grandfather, but-"

"I hear that you are friends with the _Potter _boy?" Lucius smoothly cut Scorpius off, as if the boy had yet to decline. His lips curled into a slight sneer at the name of Potter.

"Yes." Scorpius' blood ran cold at the mention of his best friend. It took all his might to maintain his uncaring and bored expression while his eyes flickered around the room, while he tried to figure out what game his grandfather was playing at

"I hope you do realize that our fam-" Lucius, in turn, was cut off by a disrupt movement from his son. Draco had risen abruptly out of the plush seats and stood eerily still between his father and his son.

Scorpius shivered as he heard his father's voice, laced with ice, "I hope you do realize, _Father_," Draco spat, "that we are no longer in the situation we were in twenty years ago. Astoria and I have worked hard to clear the Malfoy name, so that my son will be able to become acquaintances with whomever he so pleases, whether they once were friend or foe."

Lucius' face remained impassive throughout his son's tirade. "Very well. Although, I do want to discuss with young Scorpius here before I take my leave."

Draco stiffly nodded and stalked to his study. Lucius waited until Draco's footsteps faded on the stairs, his mouth a thin line.

"Scorpius."

"Yes, Grandfather," Scorpius said it as a statement. His palms began to itch with sweat, but he calmly placed them within his coat pockets. In an effort to remain cool and collected, he shifted the sole of his shoe onto his knee and tilted his head to acknowledge his grandfather.

"So, tell me about the Potter boy."

"Why do you want to know, Grandfather? I know you aren't one who listens to petty school stories," Scorpius raised his eyes, expecting Lucius to react angrily.

Instead, the elder Malfoy merely smirked at him, and said, "Oh my, how you've changed since that first letter!" Lucius examined his nails and pursed his lips.

His tone softened this time, although dangerously. "Have you realized Scorpius, that perhaps your _friends_ use you for certain purposes?"

Scorpius willed himself to remain stoic, but his eyebrows began to twitch, narrowing at Lucius' observant stare.

"Oh, of course they don't do it purposefully. They're just unaware," Lucius dismissively gestured into the air.

He tilted his head towards Scorpius, scanning his expression. Lucius suddenly scowled as if Scorpius had done something wrong.

"I had such high hopes for you, Scorpius. I wanted to take you to Germany so that you can see the prestige and grandeur of the _true_ Wizarding community, not this…_garbage_ that it now is. The Potters, the Weasleys, the prominent names of this era – they are only vultures who feed on the remains of those who once truly lived. They feed on _us,_" Lucius paused, allowing Scorpius to collect his words.

"That young Potter boy, how he must shine in the Hogwarts halls," his grandfather smirked, and Scorpius felt a strong clench at the bottom of his stomach. "Son of the Golden Boy-Who-Lived, he has _everything_ that you do not, my poor boy."

During Lucius' monologue, Scorpius oddly felt blood rushing through his head and the clenching at the bottom of his stomach grew tighter. He hated this feeling, and he was no stranger to it before. It was jealousy. Although, he couldn't comprehend why he was feeling this way towards Al, of all people.

Scorpius' concentration didn't allow him to see Lucius' mouth twitch into a smirk, who continued on, "And what about the Weasley girl? All she does Is bury her head in books like her Mudblood mother, yet she still holds higher grades than you and receives the disgusting endearment of the entire school?"

Scorpius felt the bottom of his stomach drop at the mention of Rose. He remembered her quirky responses, quick smiles, and kindness. And then, he stared at the man across from him, and remembered who he was. The self-hatred that Scorpius had fostered in the beginning of first-year came back, in waves more violent than he had imagined. Lucius' gaze on him intensified, and in the back of Scorpius' brain, he registered that Lucius was an adept Legilimens. But, the intense waves of emotion drew back his conscious thoughts, as he zoned in on his grandfather's words.

"I really do hope you will consider Scorpius. A bright young-"

Scorpius cut off his grandfather, "I'll go."

Lucius raised his thin eyebrows , as if he was unsure of Scorpius' agreement. "I said, I'll go," he said, this time clearer and on a tone of finality. After all, he had nothing to lose. His brain still spun from the raw emotion he had just experienced, and he made a mental note to ask one of the house elves for a soothing potion.

His head was clearer, but, in the bottom of his stomach, he still felt the dormant hatred he contained of himself. He entered his room and lay on the silk emerald green sheets, staring at his ceiling. He closed his eyes, shook his head, desperately trying to remove his self-deprecating thoughts. Finally, he rolled to his side and drifted off into a discontent nap, with memories of whispers and glares in the Hall filling his ears.

_To be continued..._


	9. Moody Malfoy

**08 | Moody Malfoy**

* * *

><p>The week following Lucius' sudden visit, Scorpius packed his bags and accompanied his grandfather to Germany, much to the discontent of Draco. It was, after all, just elitist gatherings of ancient Wizarding families which Scorpius found quite dull. However, they did nothing to lighten his predicament and only filled his head with one thought: <em>there was no escape. <em>

There was no escaping the madness of the aristocracy, much less his family's name. The sly stares and glares he received were carried on, party to party. Lucius, very much the charmer, disregarded any hostilities and portrayed his "new and improved" façade, as he liked to call it. All these aspects made Scorpius want to retch, yet it only served to remind him how he, like Lucius, had pranced the Hogwarts Halls pridefully and as ghostly as an apparition. He was afraid to reveal his true personality, the man behind the modern Malfoy mask after the Second Wizarding War. No one would want to befriend him, he was sure of that. Just glancing at his early first-year days seemed to be proof of it.

Yet, he couldn't bring himself to admit this truth to Albus, who had brought camaraderie to his lonely life. Scorpius shuffled through the holiday cards his best mate sent him and quietly slid them inside his ebony drawer. He couldn't bring himself to respond, or ignore them. In the end, Scorpius decided on making Al and Rose a small box of peppermint chocolates for the holiday season.

He sighed, and ran a hand through his now, unkempt platinum blonde hair. He wasn't sure how to escape his mind, nevertheless, escape the world.

* * *

><p>"Oi, Malfoy!" Scorpius turned, and was met with the beaming face of an energetic Rose Weasley. Merlin, had she had coffee the night before?<p>

"Yes, Weasley?" he sighed exasperatedly, combing his hand through his hair, forcing back the strands that had escaped the gel.

"Nothing! Just thought you seemed dead today. Long night?"

"Tell me about it," he said, and softly sent her what seemed like a smirk and a smile.

Rose rolled her eyes and prodded him with questions about his day, feeding into Scorpius' nervous tension. He had a rough night, and the growing pile of homework in his dorm was not helping with his stress. Scorpius tiredly rubbed his eyes, and turned to glare at Rose.

Merlin, he was being weird. One moment he was being kind to her, the next he wanted to tell her to bugger off.

"What?" she asked, her small pink lips parting into an "O".

He closed his eyes and inwardly cursed her for being so pretty. It sometimes distracted him. Instead, he said, "Bugger off, will you?"

He waited for her to call him a mean name and scamper off into the corridors. When he peeked out from behind his blonde eyelashes, he saw that she was staring at him with a concerned expression.

"What?" Scorpius was confused by her reaction.

"Scorpius, are you all right?"

He wrinkled his nose at her. "Of course, I'm all right! I'm just tired, Rose."

She shifted on the soles of her feet and continued to persistently stare at him. Her tone of voice softened as she said, "You sure?"

Inside, he felt something snap in annoyance. "Why do you _care, _Weasley? Why do you care about me?" He advanced on her, expecting her to shrink back as he raised his voice.

Instead, she raised her eyes to meet his (which caused him to flush), and responded back, "Why did _you _care about me first off? I thought we were friends! You're acting more moody than a girl on her period, and that's saying something!"

He couldn't help but stare at her annoyed expression and threw her a lopsided smirk. Scorpius saw her flush angrily and mentally patted himself on the back. The following months after he invited Weasley to eat at the Slytherin table, the pair had grown quite familiar to one another. Of course, Scorpius quickly learned what set the ginger on edge and enjoyed doing those them for her pure displeasure.

Smirking was number one on that list.

But, after he saw her flush, he couldn't help feel guilty that he was toying with a person who actually cared about how he was feeling. Scorpius ducked his head to avoid Rose's defiant glare.

"You know, just…forget it. I'll see you later, alright?"

He swung his book bag on his shoulder and cut the corners of the halls to avoid Rose from making a beeline towards him. However, Scorpius had underestimated Rose's stalking abilities greatly, as she bounded on him the next corridor he turned.

Unable to stop herself, Rose collided straight into Scorpius' torso, which caused her to swear loudly. After realizing she had caused quite a ruckus, she ducked her head and blushed furiously into her flaming hair.

"Listen, Scorpius," she pointed a small, thin finger at his face. "I don't know what is up with you and your mood swings, but you are going to talk to me!"

He rolled his eyes at her. Which was…the wrong thing to do.

Rose Weasley smacked her giant bookbag against his side, causing Scorpius to wince and clutch the castle wall for support. Merlin, she was vicious, but only when she was upset.

"Fine, fine," he conceded, flailing his arms in an attempt to appear humbled. Rose seemed satisfied at this answer and turned away with a huff. Scorpius was brushing his robes off, when he saw her stop and turn around at him again.

"The Lake, at three?" she asked, a faint smile on her lips. He spared a smile back at her, wondering why she questioned him about _his _mood swings, when she obviously has worse ones.

"Sounds like a plan, Reporter Weasley."

He saw her giggle at the nickname, and her slender frame gracefully sped towards her next class. It was strange, her effect on him. He wasn't sure what it was, but the gnawing pit in his stomach had evaporated at the sight of her.

Scorpius wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.

_To be continued…_


End file.
